Sunday, September 25, 2011

Improve your writing -- it will enhance your grad school journey

If you have just started your grad school journey and you either know that your writing isn't as strong as it could be, or you are getting that feedback from your professors, then I strongly encourage you to seek help from your writing center. Work closely with a writing specialist and learn what you need to learn to clean up your writing.

Even if you aren't just beginning, but are in the midst of your program, you will still benefit from taking some time to improve in this area.

Being able to write with greater command will make you a more confident student. And, better--written papers will serve you well with your faculty. So take the time, get the help, and improve your writing.

Cheering you on!
Harriet

Photo by HLS


Friday, September 23, 2011

Saturday morning video -- Alphabet 2

Hi All, Posting a little early... here's some weekend fun, take a break for a smile before you begin your work.

Cheering you on,
Harriet



Sunday, September 18, 2011

Cool Tools -- 12 Great Apps/Sites for Grad and Adult Students

Hi All, Here are twelve apps/websites that I find particularly helpful:

Communication:

Eyejot -- video mail. I love this -- more personal and connecting than email! Free version lets you send messages of up to one minute.

Doodle -- Easy scheduling tool, excellent for group work. Free.


Citation and source management:

Zotero -- organize your research sources, create groups to share information, and drag and drop sources to build your reference list. New plug in to expedite in-text citations and ref list. Free.


Diagramming:

Cacoo -- This a a diagramming tool (mind-maps, site maps, and other visual models) -- easy to use and offers a variety of useful icons. There is also a share tool. Free basic version available.


Document management:

Dropbox -- I was a late-comer to this, but now use it frequently. Dropbox lets you store and share files in the cloud. I use it to share files that are too big to email. Others use it so they can access their files from any computer. Free.

Yousendit -- another cloud-based service for sending and sharing large files. Free version available.


Social bookmarking:

Diigo -- excellent tool for organizing and archiving web pages. Also has annotation tools (highlighting and sticky notes). Additional cool feature is groups which allows you to easily share web pages. Free.


Note taking:

Evernote -- An excellent note-taking tool. I love that I can access my notes from any of my devices (cloud based) and that I can use tags (makes it much easier to find specific notes later). Free.


Blogs:

Prattlenog -- Written by my wonderful colleague Melanie Booth, this blog provides insight and inspiration for adult students. Melanie is a voracious reader and a deep thinker -- get her blog on your reader or bookmark and visit frequently.

APA Style Blog -- No secret that I find this blog very helpful, I link to it frequently. This blog is written by a team of experts who help us understand the ins and outs of APA style. Another one that is on my google reader.

Images (excellent for presentation slides, etc):

stock.xchng -- stock photo site with vast library of free images

The Noun Project -- web-based collection of symbols, all downloads free


Please write or comment below and share other apps and sites that help you to be more productive! All the best,

Harriet

P.S. I have no affiliation with any of these sites.

Photo by HLS



Saturday, September 17, 2011

Saturday morning video -- 1000 Guitars

Hi All,

Here is your Saturday Morning Video -- bringing you a little cheer before you start your work!


All the best,
Harriet

Friday, September 16, 2011

APA 101 -- woo hoo!!!

For those who are new to APA or who want a refresher, the good folks over at the APA blog have just posted a number of terrific introductory (or refresher) resources:


Cheering you on in your work!
Harriet

Friday, September 9, 2011

Saturday morning video (a day early) -- Freddie Mercury tribute

In case you missed this on Google this week, they posted it in honor of Freddie's bday. If you are a Queen fan, it will give you a smile:


Good luck with the work this weekend!
Harriet

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Great teachers -- find one, or thank one, today

Great teachers help us see our strengths and our intellectual gifts. Great teachers also help us discover and pursue our growth areas.

Today, I was fortunate to learn yet again from one of my great teachers, a great mentor! I dedicate this post to you, Elizabeth.

If you have a teacher who has helped you see your strengths and helped you grow, forward this post to say -- thank you.

If you haven't had this kind of teacher yet, keep looking and make the effort to connect.

Cheering you on in your work!
Harriet

Photo by HLS


Monday, September 5, 2011

Advice for new students -- be open





Submitted by Tera McIntosh:

Be open to new ideas and lenses. True learning occurs through in-classroom dialogue---so be sure to share your authentic self so that you can continue to grow professionally and personally.


“Education consists mainly of what we have unlearned.” ~Mark Twain


Thanks Tera!


Tera is a 2009 alum of Carlow's Master's of Professional Leadership program and is currently a doctoral student in Antioch University's Leadership and Change program.


Photo by HLS

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Saturday morning video returns! Dancing Robot

Hi All,

Here is a quick Saturday morning video -- hope it makes you smile and gives you good energy as you do your work!



Cheering for you!
Harriet


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The Encouragement Lounge by Harriet L. Schwartz is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.